Ticket-dispensing apparatus for a drive-in service office

ABSTRACT

The ticket-dispensing apparatus includes a power-driven elongated dispensing arm that is adjustably supported for horizontal disposition from a room ceiling. One end section of the arm is extendible and retractible through an opening in a sidewall of the service office for delivery of a ticket or the like to a drive-in area located to the outside of such sidewall. By varying the extendible length and operating height of the arm relative to the sidewall and ceiling, respectively, the delivery end of the arm is adjustable for convenient access to both the service office attendant and vehicle driver.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Lonnie E. Priefert Belvidere, Nebr. 68315 [21] Appl. No. 808,907

[22] Filed Mar. 20, 1969 [45] Patented Apr. 27, 1971 [54] TICKET-DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR A DRIVE- IN SERVICE OFFICE 3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 214/1, 221/277 [51] Int. Cl. B25j 3/00, I B65g,G01f11/00 [50] Field ofSearch 214/1 (B2),

H33), 1 (B52), 15, 38.2; 221/277; l98/(Inquired); 27l/(Inquired); 248/128; 109/19; 232/39, 43.3; 186/13 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,614,769 l/l927 Amsher 214/38.42 2,541,893 2/1951 Speer 214/15 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Rudolph L. Lowell L j g a.

/5 J1 zz i 26 4 a 1 g PATENTEUAPR27 |97| SHEET 2 [1F 2 ArmA /Y K TICKET-DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR A DRIVE-IN SERVICE OFFICE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The ticket-dispensing apparatus is of a compact construction and capable of being readily installed in a service room such as the scale office of a feed elevator, the business of which requires the dispensing of a ticket or the like to a drivein customer. The ticket showing the net, tare and gross weight of the loaded material is transmitted by the dispensing arm from the service room to a position readily accessible to a truckdriver while seated in the truck cab. The operation of the dispensing arm is controlled by the scale operator and eliminates any necessity for the truck driver leaving his truck to pick up the weight ticket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS H6. 1 illustrates a portion of a service room showing the ticket dispensing apparatus of this invention in a ticket dispensing position relative to the cab of a truck;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken along lines 33 and 44, respectively, in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of the ticket delivery end of a dispensing arm that forms part of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the ticket delivery end of the dispensing arm;

FIG. 7 is a foreshortened perspective view of a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail view as seen on line 88 in FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the ticket-dispensing apparatus of this invention, indicated generally as 15, is shown supported from a ceiling 16 of a service room 17 for vehicle drive-in customers such-as the scale office of a feed elevator. A scale mechanism 18 is generally located adjacent a sidewall 19 that has a window (not shown) from which a truck 21 being weighed can be observed. On completion of a weighing operation a weight ticket 22 is attached by the scale operator to an end 23 of a dispensing arm 24 which is then movable through an opening 26 in the sidewall 19 to its position shown in FIG. 1 in which the ticket 22 is conveniently accessible to the truck operator from a seated position within the truck cab.

The dispensing apparatus (FIG. 2) includes an elongated frame or flat base plate 28 that has like end support assemblies 29 and 31. Each end support 29 and 31 is comprised of a pair of upright angle members 32 that have transversely spaced legs 33 arranged opposite each other in a parallel relation, and legs 34 extended in a common plane that is normal to the planes of the legs 33. The angle members 32 have their lower ends secured as by weldments to the top surface of the base plate 28 and their upper ends interconnected by a transverse brace member 36 of a right angle shape in cross section. Each brace member 36 (FIG. 3) projects laterally outwardly from corresponding angle members 32 and has a horizontal leg 37 supported on the top surfaces of the angle members 32 and a vertical leg 38 positioned against the legs 34 of the angle members 32.

Located between the legs 33 and the angle members 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is a pair of vertically spaced upper and lower rollers 39 and 41, respectively, having transverse shafts 42 extended 30 through and carried in the legs 33. The dispensing arm 24, illustrated as being of a tubular construction and of a square shape in transverse section, extends longitudinally of the frame 28 between the legs 33 in contact engagement with the rollers 39 and 41. The rollers 39 and 41 and the legs 33 thus guidably engage and hold the dispensing arm 24 against transverse and vertical tilting movement during its travel longitudinally of the frame 28.

The arm 24 is reciprocally moved by a power source that includes an electric motor 43 having a shaft 44 extended transversely of the frame 28. A drive roller 46 on the shaft is frictionally engageable with the top surface of the arm 24. The motor 43 has a mounting bracket 47 pivotally supported on a horizontal shelf member 48 that forms part of an intermediate support assembly 49.

The intermediate support assembly 49 includes a pair of transversely spaced upright plates 51 (FIGS. 2 and 4) secured to the base plate or frame 28. The shelf member 48 is secured to the upright plates 51 to provide for the location of the motor 43 to one side of the dispensing arm 24. By pivoting the motor relative to its support 48, the drive roller 46 is adjustable relative to the top surface of the arm 24 for frictional driving engagement therewith. To support the dispensing arm at the drive roller 46 a bearing roller 52 is rotatably supported between the upright plates 51'with its top side projected above the plates and located in a horizontal plane that is common to the top sides of the lower rollers 41 in the end support assemblies 29 and 31.

The frame 28, support assemblies 29, 31 and 49, the motor 43 and the dispensing arm 24 are adjustably supported as a unit from the ceiling 16 of the scale ofiice 17 by adjustable hanger members 53 (FIGS. 1 and 2) illustrated as four in number. Each hanger member 53 includes a lower section 54 secured to one end of a brace member 36 and an upper section 56 secured to one end of an elongated ceiling bracket 57 that is parallel to the brace member 36. Each lower section 54 is formed with a series of openings 58 for receiving an adjustment bolt 59 that is carried on a corresponding upper section 56. By extending the bolts 59 through selected openings 58, the dispensing arm 24 is vertically adjustable in a horizontally disposed position relative to the ceiling 16.

This vertical adjustment of the dispensing arm accommodates variations in the surface levels of the floor of the service room 17 and the surface of the vehicle drive-in area so that the dispensing end 23 of the arm 24 is conveniently accessible to both the service room attendant and to the operator of the truck 21. Thesidewall 19 of the service room 17 is then formed with the opening 26 through which the dispensing arm 24 is linearly extendible to a position adjacent the truck cab as illustrated in FIG. 1. The arm 24 is linearly moved in reverse directions in response to the actuation of a control switch 61 for the motor 43 and may be manual 'or foot operated. The switch unit 61 is of a conventional type and includes an actuator member 62' that is movable from a neutral position to positions providing for reversed rotational movements of the motor 43.

The dispensing end 23 of the arm 24 (FIGS. 5 and 6) carries a spring clip 62 for holding the ticket 22 to be dispensed. The ticket 22 is manually inserted within the clip 62 by the scale office attendant and is pulled from the clip by the truck operator. The arm 24 is of a length to provide for its extendible movement from the frame 23, a distance of about 6 feet. It is also apparent that if desired, the wall opening 26 may be provided with a slidable cover (not shown). Additionally, it is to be understood that the apparatus 15 has a utility for the dispensing of objects other than the tickets 22.

A modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is similar in all respects to the dispensing apparatus 15 of FIG. 3 except for the dispensing arm 24. Similar numerals, therefore, will be used to designate like parts.

The dispensing arm 63 in FIGS. 7 and 8 is comprised of a metal ribbon material to form a linearly extendible coil spring 64, that is constructed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,795. This spring has the characteristic of being self supporting in a linearly extended position wherein its cross section is of a concave-convex shape. On flexing an end of the spring in a direction from the convex to the concave side thereof, the spring at such end assumes a linear transverse cross section and provides for the spring automatically winding itself into a coil shape about such one end thereof. This type spring is now commonly used in the forming of collapsible measuring tapes.

In the dispensing apparatus a of FIGS. 7 and 8, the arm 63 has a coil section 64 centrally supported on a rod 66 which extends transversely of the frame 28 at a position outwardly from the end support assembly 31. From the coil section 64 an extendible linear section 67 is inserted between the rollers 39 and 41 of the end support assemblies 29 and 31 with its free or dispensing end 68 projected outwardly from the end support assembly 29. Intermediate the end support assemblies 29 and 31 the linear section 67 has its bottom side supported on the bearing roller 52 and its top side frictionally engageable by the drive roller 46 of the electric motor 43. The rollers 39, 41, 46 and 52 may have the peripheral surfaces thereof of a shape corresponding to the concave-convex shape of the arm 63 as shown in FIG. 8.

On operation of the motor 43 to dispense a ticket 22 at the arm end 68, the linear section 67 is extendible concurrently with an unwinding of the arm from the coil section 64. On a return movement of the arm 63 the linear section 67 is contracted concurrently with an automatic winding of the arm about the coil section 64. The winding action of the arm 63 thus provides for the dispensing end 68 of the arm being linearly extendible and retractable through the wall opening 26 without requiring any corresponding linear movement of the opposite end of the am outwardly from the end support assembly 31.

I claim:

1. A ticket-dispensing apparatus for a service ofi'ice having a ceiling and a sidewall adjacent a vehicle drive-in area, comprising:

a. an elongated main frame,

b. a ticket-dispensing arm,

0. means on one end of said arm for releasably holding a ticket,

(1. means guidably supporting said arm on said frame for linear movement of said one end toward and away from an end ofsaid frame,

e. means supporting said frame from the ceiling of said service office,

f. said sidewall having an arm opening therein to provide for the movement of the one end of said dispensing arm therethrough and into said drive-in area,

g. a reversible power means on said frame for moving said dispensing ann,

h. control means within said service office for controlling the operation of said power means,

i. said guidable supporting means including pairs of vertically spaced rollers arranged longitudinally of said frame,

j. said dispensing arm positioned in contact engagement with the rollers in each pair of rollers,

k. said power means comprises an electric motor having a rotatable drive member engageable in a driving relation with one side of said dispensing arm, and

l. a roller member adjacent said drive member supported on said frame in bearing engagement with the opposite side of said dispensing arm.

2. The ticket dispensing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein:

a. said supporting means are vertically adjustable to horizontally align the dispensing arm for travel of the one end thereof through said opening,

b. said rotatable drive member comprises a roller,

c. means adjustably supporting the electric motor on said frame to provide for a frictional engagement of said drive member with one side of the dispensing arm, and

d. a roller member adjacent said drive member supported on said frame in bearing engagement with the opposite side of said dispensing arm.

3. The ticket-dispensing apparatus according to claim I,

wherein:

a. the dispensing arm comprises a linearly extendible coil spring having a linear section extended between and in contact engagement with the rollers in each pair of rollers and a coil section, and b. means ad acent the other end of said frame means for rotatably supporting said coil section. 

1. A ticket-dispensing apparatus for a service office having a ceiling and a sidewall adjacent a vehicle drive-in area, comprising: a. an elongated main frame, b. a ticket-dispensing arm, c. means on one end of said arm for releasably holding a ticket, d. means guidably supporting said arm on said frame for linear movement of said one end toward and away from an end of said frame, e. means supporting said frame from the ceiling of said service office, f. said sidewall having an arm opening therein to provide for the movement of the one end of said dispensing arm therethrough and into said drive-in area, g. a reversible power means on said frame for moving said dispensing arm, h. control means within said service office for controlling the operation of said power means, i. said guidable supporting means including pairs of vertically spaced rollers arranged longitudinally of said frame, j. said dispensing arm positioned in contact engagement with the rollers in each pair of rollers, k. said power means comprises an electric motor having a rotatable drive member engageable in a driving relation with one side of said dispensing arm, and l. a roller member adjacent said drive member supported on said frame in bearing engagement with the opposite side of said dispensing arm.
 2. The ticket dispenSing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: a. said supporting means are vertically adjustable to horizontally align the dispensing arm for travel of the one end thereof through said opening, b. said rotatable drive member comprises a roller, c. means adjustably supporting the electric motor on said frame to provide for a frictional engagement of said drive member with one side of the dispensing arm, and d. a roller member adjacent said drive member supported on said frame in bearing engagement with the opposite side of said dispensing arm.
 3. The ticket-dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: a. the dispensing arm comprises a linearly extendible coil spring having a linear section extended between and in contact engagement with the rollers in each pair of rollers and a coil section, and b. means adjacent the other end of said frame means for rotatably supporting said coil section. 